1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to an airbag safety system for an automotive vehicle. More particularly, the invention is directed to an airbag mounting structure for assuring that an airbag remains highly airtight when being inflated.
2. Description of The Prior Art
It is current practice to incorporate an airbag safety system into automotive vehicles to protect a vehicle's occupant from impact in the event of an accidental collision.
Japanese Utility Model First Publications Nos. 61-185642 and 2-38860 and Japanese Patent Second Publication No. 56-43890 disclose a conventional airbag safety system.
An example of such a conventional airbag safety system will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The shown airbag safety system 1 is supported, in an instrument panel 2, by a portion 3 of a steering wheel through a supporting member 4 and includes a housing 6 which disposes therein a gas generator 5. An airbag 7 is fixedly secured to the housing and is enclosed by an airbag cover 8 while the airbag is folded tightly. In operation, when impact due to an accidental vehicle collision occurs, the gas generator 5 ejects gas into the airbag 7 to inflate it for restraining a vehicle's occupant against a seat in safety from serious impact.
The above prior art airbag safety system, however, encounters a drawback in that clearances occur undesirably at a mounting portion of the airbag 7 on the housing 6 for the following reasons. The airbag 7 is simply installed on the housing 6 with a peripheral edge portion of the airbag being secured to a circumferential distal side wall of the housing 6 by retainers (not shown) which are screwed into the housing by screws. With this mounting arrangement, clearance may develop between corners of the side wall of the housing and the retainers with the result that gas discharged by the gas generator 5 may leak outside the airbag through the clearances, thereby reducing a degree of inflation of the airbag 7.